How to Use cortisol in a Sentence

cortisol

noun
  • As a result, cortisol can build up in the body.
    — Julia Ries Wexler, Health, 18 Sep. 2025
  • As a result, cortisol can build up in the body.
    — Julia Ries Wexler, Health, 4 Feb. 2026
  • What happens if your cortisol is too high for too long?
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 30 May 2026
  • The sight sent a jolt of cortisol through his body and an urgent shout out of his lungs.
    — Hermione Hoby, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021
  • Here are the top foods and drinks that can trigger cortisol release.
    — Christina Manian, Health, 9 Apr. 2026
  • These can all lower your cortisol levels, which can help clear your mind and your skin.
    — Kara Wahlgren, Seventeen, 28 Apr. 2023
  • Pimples bloomed across my face from the cortisol coursing through my veins.
    — Charlie Anderle, Bon Appetit, 3 May 2018
  • When the brain no longer detects the threat, cortisol levels fall.
    — Andrea Petersen, WSJ, 2 Aug. 2022
  • Your cortisol level is supposed to rise in the morning and drop as the day goes on.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 21 May 2020
  • That in turn can lead to a spike in cortisol, the stress and anxiety hormone.
    — Susanna Schrobsdorff, Time, 30 June 2017
  • Excess cortisol can show up in ways that go beyond feeling stressed.
    — Heidi Cope, Health, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Using a sauna causes a short-term spike in the stress hormone, cortisol.
    — Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 16 Mar. 2026
  • There’s no reason to raise your cortisol and make everyone else crazy.
    — Jazmine Denise Thompson, Essence, 22 Oct. 2024
  • The same goes for sugary foods, which cause cortisol levels—and stress feelings—to soar.
    — Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Turns out spending time with friends lowers cortisol, the body’s stress hormone.
    — Karina Bland, azcentral, 22 Oct. 2019
  • And make sure to get enough rest and exercise to reduce excess cortisol and calm your skin.
    — Gina Way, Cosmopolitan, 15 Mar. 2015
  • Bright light and blue light tell the body to wake up by raising cortisol and lowering melatonin.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Spending a few seconds in frigid water can cause a spike in cortisol, the stress hormone.
    — Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Yet, unlike cortisol, oxytocin will have an effect on your body akin to that of a sedative.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
  • And that, in turn, can minimize the impact that cortisol has on your cycle.
    — Julia Ries, SELF, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Even dim light during sleep can raise next-day cortisol and disrupt sleep quality.
    — Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026
  • Even dim light during sleep can raise next-day cortisol and disrupt sleep quality.
    — Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2026
  • Stress releases cortisol to the body and brain, which causes the feelings of fight, flight or freeze.
    — Jenny Anderson, Time, 8 Aug. 2023
  • It’s designed to show your cortisol pattern over time, not just one static snapshot.
    — Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Elevated evening cortisol can keep you wired at night.
    — Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Some research shows sleep apnea can cause an increase in cortisol, your body's stress hormone.
    — Sherri Gordon, Health, 18 Dec. 2025
  • The principal stress hormone is cortisol, which is produced by the adrenal gland.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 20 May 2025
  • One study shows that a 20-minute walk can relieve stress and decrease your cortisol levels.
    — David O'Hara, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2023
  • Heart rate and blood pressure go up, and stress hormones like adrenalin, cortisol, and growth hormone are released.
    — Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
  • When the stress takes precedence, cortisol levels increase, and the body becomes alert.
    — Alexa Mikhail, CNN, 14 June 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cortisol.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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